Museum Announces Fall Exhibition Programs, Family Events, Concerts and More

Visitors to the Philadelphia Museum of Art this fall will be presented with a wide variety of choice experiences. While they explore the vast collection and ground-breaking exhibitions, visitors will also have the opportunity to participate in dozens of public programs, including performances, films, family activities, lectures, workshops and special courses. During the 2008 fall season, the Education department will present a medley of offerings in conjunction with three special exhibitions that focus on self-taught artists and vernacular art. The department will also debut its greatly expanded film and video lineup — including a new “Film in Perelman” program on “Second Sundays” — and continue such perennial favorites as its 45-minute gallery “Spotlight Talks” and weekly family-friendly “Drawing Together” in the galleries.

This lively evening celebrates the opening of Gee’s Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt with a light reception and an opportunity to preview the exhibition and meet some of the quilters. Call (215) 235-SHOW (7469) to reserve tickets and for additional event information.

The Museum welcomes movie lovers for special screenings of films and documentaries.

Film in Perelman, second Sunday of each month, 2 p.m.Perelman Media Room, ground floor
$30 for all five programs ($24 for members), $7 single tickets ($5 for members).
Tickets are required

Visitors may treat themselves to lunch in the Perelman café, then take in some film. The new series explores the intersections between life and art through films by and about artists, many selected from the Museum of Modern Art’s archives.

This ongoing program focuses on important artists, movements, themes or historical events highlighted in the world of film.

Amistad (1997)
Screening and talk with John C. Van Horn, Director of the Library Company of Philadelphia, Saturday, Nov. 8, 1 p.m.,
$2 after Museum admission (free for members).

Screening only, Sunday, Nov. 9, 1 p.m.
Free after Museum admission.

The Museum co-presents this special screening with the Library Company of Philadelphia to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of international slave trade. This Steven Spielberg film starring Morgan Freeman and Anthony Hopkins explores the 1839 mutiny aboard a slave ship in the Caribbean, and the U.S. District Court case to decide the fate of the slaves.

Shadow of a House (2007)
Screening followed by conversation with Philadelphia filmmaker Allie Humenuk, Friday, December 5, 6 p.m.

This intimate portrait of Cuban-American photographer Abelardo Morell explores his personal struggles with loss and exile, and the strong will that enabled him to unite the past with the present, and memory with desire.

Funded by the Irma and Herbert Barness Endowed Lecture Fund.

Live Cinema, October 3, 2008 through January 3, 2009Gallery 178, Main Building
Free after Museum admission.

This latest in the Live Cinema series focuses on the video work of Italian artist Anita Sieff. Inspired by filmmakers Ingmar Bergman, Jean-Luc Godard and Luchino Visconti, Sieff explores human interaction through several non-linear narratives.

The Museum invites families and children to participate in programs designed specifically with young visitors in mind, including performances, gallery tours and projects to help families enjoy art together.

All family events are free after Museum admission, which is “pay what you wish” on Sundays.

Arms and Armor Family Event, Sunday, October 12

Visitors will travel back to the medieval world of knights and castles to learn the weighty challenge of wearing a full suit of armor, and with age-old blacksmithing from a modern-day practitioner. Families will then forge their own medieval take-home crafts and sketch in the Museum’s arms and armor galleries.

Quilts will be created right before visitors’ eyes, and the spirited and energetic Freedom Choir of Philadelphia will perform traditional gospel, folk and original songs. Visitors will also be inspired by drawing in the Museum’s galleries and make crafts in the Great Stair Hall balcony.

This fun-filled day of activities celebrates the special exhibition Thomas Chambers (1808-1869): American Marine and Landscape Painter. Highlights include early American dancing in period costumes and local artists demonstrating wool spinning and chair making.

The Museum also offers art classes and audio tours for children, as well as several ongoing weekly programs, including:

Drawing Together (all ages): All family members are welcome to try their hand in the Museum galleries with help from an artist who provides drawing materials and lots of encouragement. 12 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

An exploration of issues and themes that link artists James Castle and Thomas Chambers with the quilters of Gee’s Bend (also the subjects of special exhibitions this fall). All of these self-taught artists, who have existed outside the mainstream art word, are seen in a new light at the Museum.

Is Art Worth a Life? Hitler, War and the Monuments of Men
Sunday, November 23, 3 p.m.Van Pelt Auditorium
Free after Museum admission

Attendees will learn about the documentary The Rape of Europa from co-producer Robert M. Edsel, also the author of Rescuing Da Vinci. He will share anecdotes about the “Monuments Men” who returned millions of cultural items seized the Nazis during the Second World War.

The Museum continues its association with accomplished musicians from the Curtis Institute of Music. Duos and chamber ensembles present informal concerts in designated Museum galleries one Saturday each month at 1:30 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Free after Museum admission

String Duo, October 4 in the Rodin MuseumString Trio, November 1 in Gallery 277String Quartet, December 13 in Gallery 299Solo Piano, January 10 in the Great Stair HallString Duo, February 7 in Gallery 279String Trio, March 14 in Gallery 206Woodwind Quintet, April 4 in Gallery 155String Duo, May 9 in the Perelman Building Skylit Galleria

Museum educators and graduate students from Temple University offer 45-minute gallery talks focusing on the Museum’s rich resources. This program offers stimulating discussion and an in-depth look at masterpieces.

Wistarburgh Glass Collection, October 2 and 3Portrait of Edward Aisquith, October 9 and 10Tapestry showing the Lamentation, October 16 and 17Fireplace, October 23 and 24Courtyard in Venice, October 30 and 31The Crucifixion, November 6 and 7Doorway in Tangier, November 13 and 14The Mass of Saint Gregory, November 20 and 21Cigar Store Indian, December 4 and 5Chair designed by Peter Behrens, December 11 and 12Curator’s Choice, December 18 and 19Chest-on-Chest, January 8 and 9

The Museum oversees two of Fairmount Park’s historic 18th- and early 19th-century historic houses, which originally served as rural retreats for prominent wealthy families. Mount Pleasant and Cedar Grove illuminate the styles, furnishings and domestic lives of early Americans, and regularly offer events and celebrations. Houses are open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for drop-in visits as well as scheduled group and school tours. (Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and $2 for children ages 6-12. Museum members free except during holiday tours.) Visit www.fairmountparkhouses.org for visitor information.

Children will delight in these interactive, hands-on tours of Fairmount Park’s cozy colonial house. Cedar Grove, which was used by five generations of the same family, will spark children’s imaginations about an era before electricity and household conveniences. Child-focused activities will include sewing and manners demonstrations, as well as touchable mystery objects in the kitchen.

Philadelphia artists and quilters Emily Richardson and Christina Johnson lead this day-long workshop, which begins with the Gee’s Bend exhibition and includes demonstrations on design, texture, color and pattern. Learn various approaches to creating contemporary quilts while creating a small quilt of one’s own. Open to those 16 and older. Fabrics provided. Experience with sewing machines is suggested. Bring your own, or the Museum will supply one if you request one at the time of registration. Participants will receive a supply list in advance.

Inspired by the special exhibition James Castle: A Retrospective and led by artists from the Philadelphia Center for the Book, this course celebrates the art of book making from found materials of all sorts, including leaflets, rubber stamps or cereal boxes.

The first in a new series of workshops about cherishing the things we own, this session with Sara Reiter, Conservator of Costume and Textiles, reveals how to care for prized textiles, including the best practices for storage, handling and display.

An exploration of what many consider the world’s first novel, written a thousand years ago by a Japanese courtier. The session opens with an hour-long illustrated lecture on the art and culture of Lady Murasaki’s world and concludes with a two-hour participatory discussion.

This course investigates Venetian art from its Byzantine beginnings through the end of the 16th century, paying special attention to the architecture of Andrea Palladio in both the city itself and on the mainland, including in Padua, Vicenza, Verona and Ravenna.

A survey of the signature styles of 20th-century painters Arshile Gorky, Mark Rothko, Piet Mondrian and Wassily Kandinsky, whose works encourage viewers to see something unique, and at the same time presents them with the challenge of deciphering what they see.

Visitors can choose from a number of guided and self-guided tour options when exploring the Museum’s collection.

Guided Tours

The Museum offers several guided tours every day, which are free after paid general admission. All tours last approximately one hour and start at the West Entrance Information Desk unless otherwise noted.

Self-Guided Tours

The Museum offers several self-guided audio tours for visitors to enjoy the collections at their own pace. A $5 rental charge includes equipment and six audio tours. Additional tours may also be available throughout the year as part of selected Museum exhibitions. Tours include Museum Highlights, Arms and Amor, Modern and Contemporary Art, and the American Art Kids Tour.

Cell Phone Tours

Artwork included in the self-guided audio tours is also available via cell phone by calling (215) 525-1673.

Podcasts

The Museum offers self-guided audio tours as well as lectures and exhibition minutes for free download via podcast at www.philamuseum.org/podcast.

PLEASE NOTE:

To learn more or register for the Museum’s adult programs, call (215) 235-SHOW (7469) or visit the museum website at www.philamuseum.org.

To learn more about family and children’s programs, contact the Division of Education at (215) 684-7580 or educate@philamuseum.org.

Members of the press who would like additional information and assistance or would like to schedule interviews should call the media relations department at (215) 684-7864.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is Philadelphia's art museum. We are a landmark building. A world-renowned collection. A place that welcomes everyone. We bring the arts to life, inspiring visitors—through scholarly study and creative play—to discover the spirit of imagination that lies in everyone. We connect people with the arts in rich and varied ways, making the experience of the Museum surprising, lively, and always memorable. We are committed to inviting visitors to see the world—and themselves—anew through the beauty and expressive power of the arts.

For additional information, contact the Communications Department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art phone at
215-684-7860, by fax at 215-235-0050, or by e-mail at pressroom@philamuseum.org. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 26th Street. For general information, call (215) 763-8100.